Garment-clasp.



No. 68!,313. Patented Aug. 27, IQOI. M. B. HAMMOND.

GARMENT CLASP.

(Application filed Feb. 6, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNlTED STATES PATENT @EETQE.

MYRON B. HAMMOND, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

GARMENT-CLASP.

SIPEJIFIGAEION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,313, dated August 27, 19 01. Application filed February 6, 1901- Serial No. 46,202. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MYRON B. HAMMOND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Garment- Clasps; andl do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in clasps, such as are commonly used for attaching hose-supporters to corsets or for engaging with any portion of a garment, and has for its object to provide a device of this description which shall be exceedingly economical and very positive and effective in its operation.

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may more fully understand the same, I will now describe its construction in detail, calling attention by reference-numbers to the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvement with the clamping-jaws open; Fig. 2, a similar view with the clamping-jaws closed and locked; Fig. 3, a plan View of the construction illustrated at Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a rear View of such construction; and Fig. 5, aperspective View illustrating the two clamping elements disconnected and ready for assembling.

Similar numbers of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

1 is a plate preferably formed from thin sheet-steel of the desired shape to constitute one of the jaws and having at its rear end on the opposite corners small ears 2, curled over to form bearings, within which ears a wire frame 3 is journaled, so as to be capable of a free rocking movement, that portion of said frame between the ears being forced upwardly to form a smallloop or stirrup t. The front edge of this plate is bent over abruptly and is preferably scored, so as to present teeth 5. At or about the center of this plate an opening 6 is cut, so as to leave a tongue 7 projecting nearly to the front Wall of said opening. The distance between the outer side walls of this opening on opposite sides of this tongue is greater than the distance between the side walls of such opening at its front end, for the purpose presently to be eX- plained.

8 is a thin sheet-steel plate having its front edge abruptly turned over, as shown at 9. From the rear of this plate rises a contracted neck-like portion 10, and at the upper end of this neck are shoulders 11, which project laterally from opposite sides of the neck, and extending rearwardly from this shouldered portion is a narrow resilient tailpiece 12, which terminates in a hook 13.

In forming the plate 1 by suitable dies the tongue 7 is forced downwardly, as shown at Fig. 5, and in assembling the parts the tailpiece 12 is inserted through the opening 6 until the shoulders 11 are through this opening at its greatest width, which latter is rendered possible by the forcing down of the tongue 7, and the neck portion 10 is then thrown forward within the narrow part of this opening, and the tongue is bent back into horizontal position. IVhen the tongue is thus bent into horizontal position, or, in other words,into the same plane with the plate 1,the lower plate, which I Will also term the lower jaw, will thereby be confined in its assembled condition, because it cannot be shifted rearwardly on account of the tongue, and it cannot be withdrawn through the narrow portion of the opening 6 on account of the shoulders 11, and at the same time this lower jaw will be capable of a free rocking movement, just as if it were pivoted to the upper jaw.

In utilizing my improvement the fabric or other article is engaged by the front ends of the jaws, and the tailpiece 12 is then de pressed and the wire frame 3 swung upwardly, so that the stirrup 4 will surround the hook 13, and the tailpiece being then released it will spring upwardly and the hook will firmly engage with the stirrup, thus holding the jaws in clamping position. To disengage the jaws, the tailpiece may be depressed and the stirrup thrown back, or the frame 3 may be swung to the position such as is illustrated at Fig. 1, thereby causing the stirrup to leave the hook, this latter operation being made possible by reason of the fact that the rear wall of the hook is slightly inclined.

My improvement may be utilized in a great number of ways, and the object of the wire frame 3 is to provide means for attaching any suitable webbing or elastic, and in this connection I would add that this frame could be made partly or wholly of sheet metal and of any desired shape.

While I have minutely described the manner in which these jaws are connected together and while I prefer such construction in that it is exceedingly cheap and strong, nevertheless I do not wish to be limited to any particular way of pivoting these jaws, since the main feature of my invention relates to the peculiar and effective manner in which the jaws are locked togetherin clamping position and readily disengaged therefrom.

I am aware that devices of this character have been constructed in which the tail end of one of the jaws is made slightly resilient and is provided with a hook-like extremity which engages over the rear edge of the other jaw to fasten the jaws together; but such devices do not possess the advantages of my construction in that they cannot be unclasped except by pressing with the fingers against the lower side of the hook, which is extremely annoying and in a great measure impracticable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In agarment-clasp, the combination of a jaw having at its rear end a pivoted frame carrying astirrup, and provided with an opening having two widths, and a tongue extending through the greater width, with the jaw having a neck projecting through the lesser width of said opening and provided with shoulder portions at the top of said neck and having the rearwardlyextending tailpiece terminating in a hook, said tongue serving to confine the jaws in pivoted relation, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

MYRON B. HAMMOND.

Vitnesses:

F. W. SMITH, J r., M. T. LONGDEN. 

